SONOS PLAY 1 REVIEW & INITIAL THOUGHTS

We first got our hands on Sonos's newest member last week. We listened to the PLAY:1 on its own, in stereo mode, and as a 5.1 setup with PLAYBAR & SUB, and have to admit we are extremely impressed.

BUILD

When we had our first look at the PLAY:1, we instantly loved the styling. It fits in perfectly with the rest of the Sonos family. In terms of weight - wow! - this is a heavy device, and we initially thought it could be housing a rechargeable battery pack. Maybe that was wishful thinking on our part. But what the weight and feel does allude to is that this is a quality piece of equipment, at a great price.

SOUND

We initially listened to the PLAY:1 on its own. This was in a fairly big room so the odds were against it, but it certainly didn't disappoint. The vocals were warm, the bass was deeper than a unit of this size would suggest, and it easily fills a small room well. It is a mono speaker, so if you are after a more balanced audio sound, you can add another PLAY:1 and pair them in stereo mode. Once paired in stereo mode, it instantly had a dramatic effect; the sound was more balanced, the bass was as equally as impressive, and they would easily fill a decent sized room. This mode for me was really something special, and the Sonos boffins have nailed the stereo pairing software.

SURROUND SOUND MODE

Previously you could only use the Sonos PLAY:3 as a dedicated rear speaker package to give the full 5.1 cinema sound when used with a PLAYBAR and SUB. The launch of the PLAY:1 gives those on a tighter budget a great alternative, and more importantly, allows for a smaller, discrete speaker to be used as a rear.

SHOWER TIME

The Sonos PLAY:1 is also completely sealed and humidity tested to work in a Bathroom, yet you'll need a workaround to convert the UK plug to a two-pin socket. We wouldn't recommend it, but it can be done.

SOFTWARE

In our Sonos PLAY:1 Review, these speakers are also the first to swap the mute button for a play/pause option. Pressing this on any PLAY:1 speaker will stop all music in the zone it's grouped with. Pressing it again almost instantly brings the music back. Sonos have released a software upgrade to allow all existing Zone players and speakers the same feature. It works fantastically for quickly pausing all music, and works equally as well, if you would like instant music playback without reaching for your controller. Hit the play button and it will start your last radio station or playlist. Great for a quick music fix.

PRICE

£169

To go with the launch of the PLAY:1, we are also offering a free Bridge worth £39 with every purchase*. Take a look at our Sonos PLAY:1 Bundle to get even better value Sonos products. There has never been a better time to start your own Sonos system.

DONT TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

If you do your research, you will see that the initial reviews are very impressive, with Sonos PLAY:1 reviews scoring 5-stars with numerous well-known publications and reviewers.

ABOUT SMART HOME SOUNDS

Smart Home Sounds is a UK Sonos specialist. We provide expert advice on the full Sonos range, from a single Play:1 to a full Sonos surround system with Playbar, Sub, and Play 1's.

All our blogs are written in conjuction with our sister site Play Audio.